When We Were Young
by Microstormx94
Summary: Scott's story of his first coming to Xavier's School. First Story. Updated and changed a bit 'cause I combined some chapters together. R&R Enjoy! A FINAL NEW CHAPTERS IS UP! *13&14* *Hiatus*
1. Chapter 1

Bright sunlight streaked Scott Summer's light brown hair golden as he stumbled off an old, rusted school bus.

"Thanks." he mumbled to the driver as the bus roared away.

Scott scanned his surroundings behind dark sunglasses. A huge 3-story school building stood in front of him. Age and wisdom radiated off the stone walls of the school. Multiple doors led outside to the massive, green front lawn. Wooden benches were scattered under a large oak tree, where students were already under the tree's shade, talking with friends and relaxing in between classes. Scott hurried down the worn out trail that led to the school, carefully keeping his eyes straight ahead. All chatter and laughter quite down to curious whispers as he walked past the groups. Walking quickly past all the staring eyes, Scott opened the front door.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Inside the school was dimly lit. A faint touch of warmth passed through Scott's mind and body, sending cold chills down his back.

"Through here." a male voice whispered.

Scott turned around quickly but there wasn't anyone in the dark hallways. Suddenly an invisible force pulled at Scott like a dog on a leash and led him down the burgundy carpet hallway to a classroom with dark navy carpet. A calm atmosphere welcomed Scott. The room had five rows of chairs that were on either side of an invisible pathway. In front stood a lone oak desk. Behind the desk was a man in a silver wheelchair. The man wheeled around smoothly to face Scott.

"Hello Scott. I've been expecting you." he said pleasantly.

Scott stared at the man blankly. He was bald with piercing blue eyes. Despite his handicap, the man looked quite tall.

"Don't be scared." The man said quietly in Scott's mind, his lips unmoving. "Come closer. I've been waiting for you."

Scott flinched as the cold, invisible force returned and led him to the front row, eye-to-eye with the man.

"Good" the man said slowly. "My name is-" he started.

"Professor Charles Xavier." Scott finished for him, slightly agitated.

He did not run away to be man-handled by some calm-mannered cripple, but his curiosity made him stay in his chair. There was nothing special about Scott...nothing that he knew about at least.. He had just turned fifteen and had a lean build. The baggy clothes on him and the tattered yellow knapsack on his back was all he had. Dark shades that he never took off hid his eyes, giving him an impassive look most of the time.

"You've heard of me?" the professor said, the hint of surprise visible in his voice.

"Yeaaah...I've heard of you and your "special" school. Plus there's a sign out front.." Scott said in a bitter voice, thinking back to the gold plated sign he had seen in front of the iron gates when the bus rolled in.

"Now, now...don't be that way." Charles said, his voice becoming dangerously sweet. ""It was only a question."

Scott swallowed and squirmed uncomfortably in the seat but didn't let his attitude fade. Charles tiled his head slightly, brought his hands together and rested his head lightly on top of them.

"I know what you've been through Scott," the professor said softly. "How hard your life was after your parents died in that horrible plane crash. Having to grow up so alone in the world, bouncing from one foster home to another, finally escaping and living on the streets to survive."

Charles closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. "Such a hard life for one so young..."

Sweat broke on Scott's forehead and his breath came out in short gasps. He never told anyone about his parents or his short time on the streets. But how could this man possibly know all of this?

The professor opened his eyes and smiled knowingly. "It's okay Scott." he said, his voice taking on a gentle tone. "I could help you. If you stay, I could give you a home. A **real **home, where you would be safe."

Charles raised his head a little and stared at Scott with his brilliant blue eyes. "I could help you go through your...phase." he finished, studying Scott's reaction.

Scott was speechless. Here he was all the way in upstate New York, Westchester, miles away from Nebraska, with a crippled, bald, mind-speaking professor who was offering him everything he had ever dreamed of. The professor's voice sounded so tempting and understanding...but Scott could feel his suspicion rise.

"What do you mean my 'phase'?" he asked.

Charles sighed. "Scott…you're a mutant."

Scott blinked. "A what?"

"A mutant," the professor repeated. "A mutant is a human born with extraordinary powers. The mutation is caused by a rare cell passed to a child by the father." Charles explained slowly for Scott. "The cell is harmless till the child reaches maturity. The maturity age differs between genders. The cell then rapidly multiples and causes an almost radioactive explosion in the body. After the cells stop multiplying a mutant is formed."

Charles held up his right hand, all five fingers spread out. "A mutant's power is scaled from 1-5, 5 being the strongest. Powers are different for all mutants. For example, I can control a person's mind and make them do as I wish. I can also read a person's thoughts and memories." Charles finished with a faint smile.

_So that's how he knew about my parents...S_cott thought, letting the information seep in.

"I'm sorry about looking at your memories." Charles said. "I usually don't read a person's mind without permission."

A wave of anger washed over Scott. Those were his personal memories!

"What gives you the right to waltz in and look at my mind without my permission then, hm?" Scott asked harshly.

An amused expression flickered onto Charles face. "You don't approve of my powers." The question came out more like a statement.

"No. I don't.." Scott said in the same tone. The professor's calmness was starting to get on his nerves. "In fact, I think you and your school can go to-" His rant was cut of by a series of knocks on the classroom door.

"Come in." Charles said calmly, his eyes never leaving Scott.

Soon the classroom was filled with loud, chattering students around Scott's age. Scott's anger falter for a second as the students filled up the seats.

_Are they mutants too?_ He wondered.

The room quieted as the last of the students sat down, eagerly waiting for their lesson to begin. Scott felt the eyes of a pretty red-head in the second row watching him carefully. A cold tingle passed through Scott's body and he looked down at his worn out sneakers while his ears turned a bright red. Charles clapped his hands and rubbed them together, smiling brightly at the students.

"Good morning class." Charles said. A chorus of "Good morning Professor." came from the class. "Today we have a new student. Scott, would you like to introduce yourself?"

Scott stood up quickly and gave the professor a dirty look.

"Don't do it Scott..." Charles warned quietly but sternly in Scott's mind.

Scott bit back his reply and gave the professor one last look. Turning on his heel, Scott stormed out the room, slamming the door on his way out.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	2. Chapter 2

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Scott, come back!" Charles's yell echoed painfully in Scott's head but he continued to walk across the lawn.

"Shut up and get out of my head!" Scott yelled back to the voice.

He thought he heard a faint sigh. Scott scoffed and sat under the lone oak tree. He scanned the grounds, squinting slightly at the afternoon sun. Nobody was outside.

_Good, _Scott thought, remembering that classes were still going on. He didn't feel like avoiding curious eyes. Scott leaned against the rough bark of the tree trunk, closed his eyes and sighed deeply. After a few moments, he felt his heart slow down and he was calm enough to think clearly. Of course he was going to take the professor's offer and stay at the school, learn a few things, but he wasn't too excited about being a mutant.

Would it hurt?

What if his powers were useless?

What if he ended up killing himself !?

More and more uncomfortable thoughts wormed their way into Scott's mind. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear the bell ring or the sound of students walking on the grass, yelling across the lawn to their friends, or the impatient click of the tongue from the older girl standing in from of him.

"Hey! You're in my spot." she said in a brisk voice

Scott snapped his eyes opened and blinked. It was the red-head girl from Professor Xavier's class. She was very pretty up close, Scott thought in spite of himself. Her red sweater was too bold for the summer day, but her cream tote bag that held her books matched perfectly.

Her hair stood out the most, though. It was a bright red, long and straight and the slightest breeze made it ripple like it was a burning flame. Scott suddenly felt very shy under the girl's gaze.

"S-sorry," he stammered, blushing as he moved over to make room for her.

The girl dropped her bag down, some of her books spilling out as she sat down next to Scott, her striking green eyes taking in his profile. Scott shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Um, hi...my name's Scott...Scott Summers." Scott said, breaking the silence between them. He held out his hand. The girl looked at it for a moment before carefully shaking his hand.

"Hi. I'm Jean Grey." Jean said in the same brisk tone.

Scott was startled by her tone and dropped her hand quickly, the memory of Jean's cold hands on his lingering.

"Hm," Jean raised an eyebrow. "You're that new guy," she smirked. "The one who almost attacked the Professor."

The little confidence Scott had drained out as quickly as it came and the blush returned. Jean laughed.

_Wow…what a beautiful laugh, _Scott thought as Jean scooted closer to him, her hair tickling his face.

Scott closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. She smelled like warm cinnamon apples. When he opened his eyes he noticed Jean was looking at him.

"You blush a lot." Jean noted, still smiling. "Do I make you nervous?"

She leaned closer to him and rested her hands lightly on top of his. Scott shivered at the electrical current going through his body. He tried to remember the last time he was this close to a girl. Nothing. Nada. He couldn't remember the last time he had any physical contact since his parents died. A sudden wave of grief washed over Scott and he struggled to re-focus on Jean. She was just inches away from his face now, her eyes full of fierce longing as she parted her lips. Scott froze as Jean came over those last few inches keeping them apart...

And then the afternoon bell rang. Students, who had come outside to lazily enjoy the sun, were packing up their books and rushing inside for their next class. Jean sighed and pulled herself away from Scott. Scott's heart pounded loudly in his ears and his lungs screamed for air. Slowly, he let oxygen into his lungs. Out of the corner of his eye, Scott watched Jean picked up her books, making notes of her every move and imprinting them forever in his memory. He knew a girl as beautiful as Jean already had a boyfriend with her sparkling green eyes and bright smile. He would remember her smooth, pale skin and how he loved the way her nose wrinkled cutely when she laughed. And her hair. Her soft, silky, smooth hair that looked like a forest fire when the light caught it just right....

Jean looked up in time to catch Scott looking at her. Before the blush could even form on his face, Jean was bending down in front of him and taking off his shades. Scott blinked at the sudden light and Jean smiled at him.

"You have beautiful eyes," She murmured, just inches away from his face. "Just like the sea..."

Scott closed his eyes as Jean's lips touched his softly. It wasn't a "Glad to meet you" kiss or an "I already have a boyfriend" kiss. It was a kiss, pure and simple as kisses should be.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The late bell rang, but Jean never left the oak tree. She was resting on an uncomfortable Scott's chest. Shifting slightly, Scott moved Jean off him gently and lay on his side so he could face her.

"Um, listen...I really enjoyed kissing you, I did, but I don't really know you and you don't know me..." Scott trailed off and picked at the grass.

He felt stupid for being so awkward about the kiss but he had to understand where he stood with Jean. Jean cupped Scott's face in her hands and gave him an understanding look.

"Scott..." she said gently, a small smile forming on her pink lips." I wanted to kiss you. I like you, a lot. So don't worry, 'kay? We'll take it slow. I promise." she said, voicing Scott's thoughts.

"How did you..?" Scott started to say but Jean cut him off by planting warm kiss on his lips.

"Shhh, Loverboy. Don't worry about it." Jean whispered in his ear.

Scott smiled at the nickname and watched as Jean got up and stretched before gathering her books. Seconds later, Scott heard the late bell ring again.

"I gotta go to class, but I'll see **you **later." Jean said. Then she bent down and gave Scott one more kiss on the cheek and ran off to class.

"Okay, bye...Jean." Scott said softly, touching the spot where Jean had kissed him

*~*~*~*~*~*


	3. Chapter 3

*~*~*~*~*~*

The sun sunk deeper behind the horizon as the day came to an end. Scott sighed. So much had happened to him. He ran away from home, (if you can call a small, damp, crowded orphanage a home), had a fight with a real mutant who could kill a person with his mind, and kissed a girl that he could only dreamed of.

_Yeah, it was a pretty good day, _Scott thought as he got up to stretch.

Night was approaching and he still didn't have a room. Scott gave the old oak a hearty pat and headed back to the school.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Bright light and warmth welcomed Scott as he opened the door. He felt the mental connection of Xavier hum through him and Scott smiled.

_I'm home…_

Again he felt the overwhelming age of the school radiating off the walls. Scott heard the laughter of his soon-to-be- classmates in a large room to the right. 'Messhall' was carved in big, bold letters on a wooden plaque above an archway. Inside, the students were packing away the last of their food and getting ready for bed. Soon the students were piling out of the messhall saying 'Good night" and 'See you tomorrows" to their friends.

Quickly, Scott hid behind the many pillars in the hall and watched the students go up the winded staircase. Peeking out from the side, he easily found Jean among the students. "Jean…"Scott whispered to himself. Jean turned her head slightly, her eyes searching the room till they found Scott's. Scott waved shyly and Jean smiled and continued upstairs.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Scott's hand was still in the air when his sharp ears heard the harder-than-steel adamantium claws ripping skin. Hot pain washed over him as his head banged against the redwood wall. Scott squinted past the stars to see a scowling boy pinning him to the wall. Three long silver claws came out of the boy's knuckles.

"You waving at my girl?" the boy growled deeply. Scott swallowed, one of the claws cutting his throat as his Adam's apple went down.

"N-no," Scott stammered.

The boy stared at him hard. His eyes were a deep brown, almost black.

"What's your name, bub?" he asked.

"Scott ." Scott whispered.

Suddenly, Scott felt the coolness of the claws leave his skin. Scott rubbed his throat and looked up. The boy was smiling!

"So you're the chump everyone is talking about." The boy said, still grinning.

Through his confusion, Scott managed to smile. He liked the way the boy's laugh lines crinkled around his eyes. Curious about his new friend, Scott asked for his name.

"Logan" Logan said, holding his hand out for Scott to shake.

The boy's tanned skin and firm muscles explained that he was no stranger to the outdoors. An electric shock coursed through Scott's body, not as strong as the current when he kissed Jean but still Scott quickly let go of Logan's hand.

"Um, cool hair." Scott mumbled quietly.

Logan gave him a questioning look before barking out a laugh.

"Thanks," he said, giving Scott a wolfish grin.

Logan's black hair was gelled back and parted in the middle. It was casually flicked up at the sides to make it seem as if he had animalistic ears.

"So, did you get a tour yet?" Logan asked causally, putting his hands in his jean pockets

Scott found himself following Logan as he showed him the school.

Logan showed him all the classrooms and countless bedrooms. The kitchen and the best bathrooms. He even showed Scott a hollow sounding wall where most of the kids thought the Professor went through at night to conduct experiments.

Logan shook his head in disbelief and said "Kids...They'll believe anything."

During their walk, Scott allowed himself to ask Logan questions and found out that Logan was a year older than him and he didn't remember any of his past before Xavier's.

"I remember waking up somewhere, freezing cold because it was snowing. I walked and walked and hitched rides and found myself here at the school. But the food isn't as bad as it looks and the Professor...you'll learn to like Wheels." Logan had said giving Scott a knowing grin.

Scott laughed at Logan's nickname, warm blood flushing his cheeks. Being with Logan gave him a sense of adventure and he liked it. Suddenly, Logan stopped in front of a door and turned to face Scott with an expression that looked a lot like embarrassment.

"Hey…since you don't have a room, you could stay here in my room."

Scott's pulse quicken as he watched Logan shrug.

"I share it with two other guys and we got an extra bed" he finished, looking up at Scott.

Scott stared at Logan, realizing that he was waiting for a reply. "Oh! Yeah, yeah…that would be great." Scott said smiling "Thank you."

Logan grinned and opened the door with "Come on in" gesture, his hand brushing Scott's for a slight moment.

"Well this is it." Logan said a slight trill of pride present in his voice.

Scott stepped inside the room. The room was small, barely enough space for the three boys who already occupied it. Scott could see an untouched bed underneath a large glass pane window. A full moon shone bright through the window, lighting up the room as if it were morning. Logan walked past the two lumps in the other beds, sat on his own bed and began to undress.

Scott quickly walked past Logan and lay on his bed, fully clothed. The bed squeaked loudly from the unfamiliar weight. Every cell in Scott's body relaxed. After sleeping on endless bus and subway chairs, it felt nice to sleep on a real bed. But sleep wouldn't come. Scott tossed and turned on his bed, the springs squeaking each time he moved.

After a while Logan barked "What the hell are you doing!?" from the other side of the room. Scott froze but willed himself to look at the predator. Logan's black eyes shone brightly, glaring at Scott. Even though half his body was hidden in shadows, Scott could count the firm abs on Logan's stomach through the tight tee he was wearing over red plaid boxers. The sight made Scott's face flush, suddenly feeling embarrassed that his own skinny body wasn't as fit as Logan. Making a mental note to find the nearest gym, Scott stammered a low apology and fixed himself into a comfortable position. He heard Logan sigh and lay back down on his bed. Scott watched Logan's chest move up and down slowly and Logan's snore was the last thing Scott heard as he closed his eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	4. Chapter 4

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Scott...Scott. Wake up, Scott. "A voice murmured quietly.

Scott turned over and moaned.

"Five more minutes." He mumbled, pulling his pillow over his head.

"SCOTT!"

"Wha- ?" Scott yelped, waking up fully, his head ringing loudly.

"Good morning, Loverboy." The voice said happily, as if waking Scott up was a successful mission.

A voice was humming quietly, her soft, even tones echoing inside his head. Scott looked around but there was no one in the room. But it sounded familiar…

"Jean?" Scott asked in quiet surprise, hoping he was wrong.

"Good job Scott." Jean said, laughing. "I told the Professor you're a bright one."

Scott was too upset to figure out what Jean's words meant. He wasn't sure if he was ready to take on another mind reader.

"Jean, where are you? What are you doing? Why are you inside my head!?"

Scott asked, each question getting louder than the one before. Scott covered his mouth and looked around to see if anyone woke up, but the room remained still. Scott could hear Jean sigh and he could almost see her shaking her head with that small, knowing smile of her's.

"Slow down, Scott. Think your responses to me." Jean said evenly.

"I'm around, talking to you, obviously. And don't worry. Even though I'm a telepath like the Professor I'm nowhere near to being as strong as him. So your memories are safe from me."

A smug feeling rushed into Scott's mind and he could see a small smirk on Jean 's face in his mind's eye.

"Sorry." she said quietly. "It's fine."

Scott mumbled, rubbing his head. He wanted to know what Jean knew about his memories but he let it go.

"So," he said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back on the bedframe. "You're a telepath, huh? You never told me that."

Jean was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen but she still looked like a normal person.

"Be careful what you think about, Scott" Jean said, her voice still quiet.

"Just because I can't read you memories doesn't mean I can't read you thoughts."

Scott blushed at being caught but he could feel a glimmer of happiness from Jean.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed." She cooed but then her voice suddenly became serious. "I just got a message from the professor. He says he wants to see you."

Jean's presence wavered then became faint in Scott's mind. A bright flash of red clouded Scott's mind then disappeared as quickly as it came, leaving behind the burning image of a red bird. Scott rubbed his eyes and blinked away the water that had formed.

"What was that?" Scott asked Jean quietly. Jean didn't answer.

A wave of annoyance washed over Scott. Annoyance and fear. Fear of losing control. Fear of hurting someone…The feelings passed slowly in Scott's mind, leaving him confused. What just happened?

_Somehow, _he thought,_ Jean's feelings are linked to me. _

He could hear her voice, far and deep in his mind. It sounded strained and tired.

"I'm going to get ready for class and I advise you to do the same." I'll see you later." Jean said in the same strained tone. "Good luck."

And then she was gone. Scott shook his head to clear it then swung his legs over the bed and onto the floor. A numb feeling washed over him as his his feet touched the ground, freezing his limbs then quickly warming his insideslike a furnace. And suddenly the feeling was gone. The world tilted upwardunder his feet and flashed red before settling down to the way it was before.

_It must've been an aftershock from Jean. _Scott thought as he let out a shaky breath.

Carefully, he got up and stumbled to the bathrooom.

Thirty minutes later, Scott came out, feeling refreshed and clean. The hot water felt good on his dirty skin. Steam followed Scott out the door as he adjusted the white, fluffy towels around his waist. The other boys were just starting to wake up as Scott came in. A lean, blonde, blue-eyed boy, who introduced himself as Bobby, gave Scott a warm smile as he passed.

"Hey," he said, holding out his hand to shake.

Scott shook his hand. A burst of cold shot through his fingers and up his arm and Scott snatched his hand back. His fingers were a light blue and glistened as if ice were on them. Bobby gave Scott an apologetic smile and Scott offered a weak one back. The other boy was making up his bed in the far corner of the room. Even though half his body was in the shadow, Scott could make out a midnight blue prehensile tail twitching silently behind the boy. He looked up from his bed. Two yellow cat eyes watched Scott from underneath shaggy black hair. His feet were bare and three long fingers extended from his hands. Scott stared at the boy incredulously.

"Mornin', bub." Logan said in a thick voice.

Scott turned around, glad to escape the silent boy's look. Logan's dark hair was sticking up in odd angles and his face showed evidence of the rough night he had but he managed to give Scott a smile. Scott smiled back at him and said a quite good morning. He had heard Logan moaning in his sleep, yelling "No! Get away from me." to invisible threast, but Scot was pretty sure Logan didn't want him to know that. Logan shifted his gaze to the boy and gave him a nod.

"Mornin', Kurt." Logan said.

Kurt gave Logan a wary look before replying in a thick German accent "Good Morning." Then Scott heard a small _whoosh _and watched Kurt disappear in a cloud of smoke as dark as his blue skin. Logan gave a low chuckle at Scott's face.

"He's a teleporter." Logan explained before heading towards the bathroom.

Giving Logan one last glance, Scott walked over to where his bed was and stopped in surprise. Lying there was a fresh set of clothes. The pile was made up of kaki shorts and a navy polo. They smelled as clean as Scott felt. Scott let his towel dropped and quickly shimmied into the clothes. They fitted perfectly. Scott walked over to the full-length mirror by his bed. The sea-green eyes of his reflection blinked back at him. Scott smiled sadly. He knew, from looking at hundreds of old albums, that he had his mother's eyes.

"Let's do this." He said to the mirror before picking up his shades and heading out the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Come in, Scott." Charles said from the other side of the door.

Scott's hand, which was just moments ago in mid-air, ready to knock on the door, fell limply to his side. He came in and closed the door with a soft _click. _Scott shifted his feet uncomfortably. Memories of the day before made his face flush with shame and embarrassment. Seconds went by and soon turned to minutes, but it felt like years. Scott wasn't sure how much more of the heavy silence he could take. He raised his eyes over the edge his glasses. Charles was watching him; his face indescribable.

The deep green suit he wore threatened to blend in with the huge forest behind him. Charles tilted his head and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. After some time he said "All is forgiven." and a warm smile formed on his face. Scott stared at the Professor incredulously. Charles leaned back in his chair.

"Well," he said, chuckling. "Those are the happiest thoughts I've ever heard."

*~*~*~*~*~*


	5. Chapter 5

*~*~*~*~*~*

Scott left the Professor's classroom when the first of his students came in. On his way out, Scott scanned the crowd for Jean but she wasn't there. The lecture that Charles gave him was still fresh in his mind. He had told Scott that he expected things from him but he had otherwise forgiven Scott completely.

The hallways were packed with mutants leaving breakfast and heading off to their first morning class. A group of students standing next to Scott suddenly disappeared and appeared again down the hall, causing Scott to jump in surprise. He watched as a girl walked straight through the wall to the Professor's room as if it were an open door. Scott watched the last of the girl slide into the wall before heading off to his own class, shaking his head in amazement.

With the schedule Charles gave him before leaving and the knowledge of the night's tour with Logan fresh in his mind, Scott was able to find his class with little trouble. The classroom was in the lower, older part of the school. A cold draft chilled Scott as he descended down the worn out stone stairs and into the damp hallway. An iron door stood out from all the wooden doors, most which were either locked or rotted away. With a shove with his shoulder, Scott was able to open the door.

Dim light greeted Scott as he entered the classroom. A few students glanced up at him as he made his way to an empty desk in the back of the room. "Simple Machinery 101" was written in white across the wide chalkboard in the front of the classroom. Through his glasses, Scott could make out the dark outline of various bikes, motorcycles, and cars. Scott smiled to himself. He had always liked taking things apart, seeing how the gears lined up and made it worked before putting it back together again. The teacher, a short man with eighties-styled glasses and thin black hair, clapped his hands.

"All right, everybody." He said. "Today we will be learning..."

*~*~*~*~*~*

When class ended, Scott trudged back upstairs to the bright hallways with his classmates. He watched as they turned the corner, leaving him alone. Suddenly he felt the body of another hit against him. Scott's books dropped out his hands and he watched as they fell to the floor.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." A girl's voice said from behind him.

Scott sighed and bent down to pick up his books. A tide of students rushed past him causing his papers to spread out across the hallway.

"It's okay." He said wincing as someone's boot stepped on his hand.

"No, let me help you." She insisted as she collected the papers on the other side of the hall and handed them to Scott.

"Thanks." Scott said.

"No problem." The girl said giving Scott a warm smile. "I'm Ororo, by the way. Ororo Munroe."

Scott shifted his books and shook Ororo's hand. Her skin was a caramel brown and she had an accent that sounded like it came from distant land. Intelligent blue eyes shone brightly under her short white hair. Then, giving Scott one more smile, Ororo turned and left. Scott heard a low wolf whistle frombehind him. He turned to find Logan standing there, watching Ororo walk into a classroom.

"Damn…" he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Scott raised one eyebrow. "You know her? I thought you had a thing with Jean" he asked, a bit sullenly.

Logan nodded slowly. "Yeah, but that ended a long time ago.…Storm. She's everything a guy could want. Smart, classy and beautiful."

Logan turned to Scott. "No offense. Jean is all those things but she's no Storm. 'Sides she's your girl now." Logan smirked.

Scott wanted to ask Logan more about Storm but the bell rang. Giving his love lust friend a smile and a pat on the shoulder, Scott hurried to his class.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	6. Chapter 6

*~*~*~*~*~*

The rest of the day blew by Scott like a hurricane as he went to classroom to classroom. Scott walked out of his global class and followed the wave of students down the packed hallway. He glanced over at a passing window. The sun was high in the cloudless sky.

_Noon,_ Scott thought as he broke of from the school of students and turned down the hall where his room was.

He wanted to put away his books before meeting Jean and Logan for lunch.

The messhall was already loud and crowed when Scott arrived. He quickly joined the line and grabbed a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich with an apple and a carton of milk. Scott looked around and easily spotted Jean's red hair among the sea of brunettes and was sitting next to her, his back turned. They had picked a table near a glass paned window, showing the perfect view of the oak tree. Scott walked over and sat down next to Jean. Jean turned around and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hey." She said, smiling brightly as she pushed back a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Scott's skin burned where Jean had kissed him. He wanted nothing more than to run his hands through her hair.

"Hey to you too" he said, giving her a shy smile back.

Jean tilted her head, frowning a little.

"Too much?" Jean asked her voice as clear as a bell in Scott's mind.

Scott's smile grew and he took a bit out of his sandwich. "No," he said once he swallowed. "You're perfect."

"Oh, get a room!" Scott tore his gaze away from Jean and shifted onto a smirking Logan.

He could see Ororo's face peek out from behind Logan.

She waved. "Hi, Scott." She said.

Logan turned to her and whispered something in her ear. It must've been funny because moments later her joyous laugh reached Scott's ears. Logan's eyes sparked excitedly when Ororo's hands touched his arm as she brought his face close to her own, whispering softly in his ear.

"Looks like you two may need a room more than us." Scott said playfully to Logan when Ororo moved down to talk to Jean.

Logan looked away, his cheeks flushing a light pink. "Yeah…I was thinking about asking her to the ball." He whispered quietly to Scott while glancing over his shoulder.

Then in a normal voice he said, "The mutant ball. It's a costume party on the first day of fall."

The confusion left Scott's face and he mouthed a quiet "Oh." Logan smiled and grabbed Scott's apple and took a huge bit out of it.

"I keep forgetting you're a newbie, Slim." Logan said, taking another bite out of the apple.

When he was finished he tossed the apple core in nearby garbage. The core made a satisfying _thud_ when it landed in the garbage.

"You should take Jean." Logan said.

Scott looked over to where Jean was sitting. He could see her wearing a beautiful gown, something out of a fairy tale. It would shimmer like a thousand stars as they waltzed around the dance floor, hand in hand, with Scott as her Prince Charming. Smiling to himself, Scott got up and threw out his tray. He decided to ask Jean to the ball at dinner that night.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Scott tapped his foot impatiently under his desk. The clocked ticked loudly across the room, keeping time with the low droning lecture the teacher was trying to the class. Scott sighed. It was the last class of the day and he wasn't the only one bored out of his mind. Across the room, Scott watched Logan sleep, his ears picking up Logan's soft snore. In front of him, Bobby was whispering sweet nothings into a girl's ear. Scott had never seen her before and he watched as the girl giggled. In her sea of brown hair, she tucked back a single lock of snow white hair back behind her ear with a gloved hand. Even though she smiled, her warm brown eyes were careful and she kept a distance between herself and Bobby. Suddenly, the bell rung and the room was filled with the sound of chairs scraping back. Scott got up and followed Bobby out of the room.

"Who's that?" Scott asked, jutting his chin slightly towards the girl as she walked by. Her wavy brown hair bounced a little as she walked by.

"Hm?" Bobby murmured. When he followed Scott's gave, a small smile played on his lips.

"Oh, that's Marie, but call Rogue. She just came here last week and I was just giving her the Mutant High welcome." Bobby said, his smile growing to a full-size grin.

The two began to walk down the hallway, dodging the oncoming wave of students. Scott could catch snippets of passing students' conversations.

"Well, I guess we know who you're taking to the ball." Scott said knowingly.

Bobby frowned as he opened the bedroom door and held it open for Scott.

"I want to ask her," Bobby said as he closed the door. "But there's something off about her. Like the fact the she won't let me get anywhere near her. She's always pulling away."

Bobby put down his books then turned to Scott.

"You ready?"

Scott nodded and followed his blonde friend out.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Dinner passed by quickly. The meal was made up of steaming mash potatoes, fresh vegetables and stuffed chicken. Scott ate his food greedily, savoring the taste of the foods he missed so much over the years. He was telling Jean about his day before noticing Rogue standing near by, her face wary as she held her tray tightly, as if to protect her from the possible rejection from one of the many filled tables. Scott looked down the table to find Bobby, but he was to busy talking to Logan to notice.

"Hey," Scott called out to Rogue. She looked over at him. "You can come sit with us, if you want."

Rogue's face melted into a shy smile as she walked over to the table and sat down next to Scott.

"Thank you." She said her voice soft and quiet.

Scott heard a hint of a southern accent in Rogue's voice and he wondered where she was from. Jean slipped her cool hand into Scott's and his thoughts of Rogue quickly disappeared. She smiled coyly.

"Come with me." He thought quietly to Jean, taking her hand.

The night was cool and a quiet breeze brushed past Scott's face. The moon was full and bright in the night sky as Scott and Jean walked across the lawn. Scott pulled Jean down to the ground with him as he sat down under the big oak tree. The tree had become somewhat of a spot for Scott. Jean smiled and pushed Scott on his back and kissed his lips softly. Scott closed his eyes and kissed her back, soft at first then harder. Her lips were sweet and soft. Like sweet cotton candy melting in his mouth. Jean pulled back, her jade green eyes shining brightly in the moonlight. Scott pulled her close and Jean rested her head on his chest.

"This is nice." Jean said as she fingered a loose thread on Scott's shirt.

Scott nodded silently. The grass was surprisingly comfortably underneath him and the yellow and read leaves made a loud _crunch _whenever he moved. He combed back Jean's hair with his fingers, soft as silk beneath his hand.

"Will you go to the ball with me?" Scott asked at the same time Jean said a gleeful "Yes!" in his mind, kissing him deeply as Scott smiled and closed his eyes, cherishing the moment.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	7. Chapter 7

*~*~*~*~*~*

The night of the ball was on a cool September evening. Scott pulled at his collar nervously. He was wearing a loose white dress top, with one button open, underneath a simple black jacket. He decided not to wear his sunglasses and he squinted in the unfamiliar light. Scott fingered the soft petals of the white rose corsage that he was holding. Next to him, Bobby was wearing a light blue suit with a ruffled dress shirt. The blue matched perfectly with Bobby's arctic blue eyes. Together, Bobby and Scott walked to the Great Hall, a historic building at the edge of the school grounds that was going to hold the ball. Jean and Rogue were waiting by the front the door. Bobby rushed to Rogue's side and handed her a single pale yellow flower. Rouge's face turned a light pink and she gave Bobby a quick hug, smiling warmly at him. Her green dress was a deep emerald color and gave off a metallic shimmer whenever she moved.

But Scott only had eyes for Jean. She walked down the steps and towards him, a petite smile forming on her face. Scott watched the sway of her hips; the pale lavender fabric hugged her body. Jean stood in front of Scott now. Her dress was beautifully cut at the top, revealing Jeans pale, smooth shoulders and bare arms. Scott kneeled down on one knee and placed the corsage on Jean's wrist. His eyes never left Jean's face and he watched as Jean's eyes sparkled and her cheeks began to glow with happiness. Scott kissed up her arm, just like all the French men he had seen in all the old movies, as got up. He snaked his arm around Jean's waist.

"Shall we?" Jean said, her voice as quiet as the still night around them.

Scott felt the quick pulse of Jean's feelings pound inside him. He felt bliss and love and excitement. Scott smiled and kissed Jean's cheek before taking his princess into the ball.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Scott let out a low whistle under his breath. He had never been to a dance before, let alone a ball, but he doubt if it would ever be as amazing as this. The Great Hall, which was a hardly ever used, was decorated like the days of fall. Gold, red, and orange leaves covered the ground like a blanket but didn't crunch under his feet like the ones outside. He took Jeans hand and crossed the room. Soft tones rumbled out of the speakers as the DJ began to set up his equipment. Scott saw Logan coming towards them and he held on to Jean just a little bit tighter. Logan smiled his wolf of a smile.

"Hey, Slim." He said gruffly.

Logan shifted his gaze to Jean and his eyes looked her up and down.

"Jean." He said softly, taking her free hand and kissing it lightly.

"You look beautiful, as usual."

A spark of jealousy flared inside of Scott but he waved it away and managed to give Logan a weak smile. Logan laughed and gave Scott a look that read "Loosen up; I'm just having a little fun." Jean squeezed Scott's hand and gave him a gentle smile. The song suddenly changed to a more upbeat one and the lights dimmed.

"What's up, Westchester?" the DJ yelled from the stage.

His reply was a chorus of excited yells from the room full of mutants.

"Let's get this party started!" the DJ laughed into his mic then began to turn the tables.

"Come on!" Jean laughed and grabbed Scott's hand. "I love this song."

Scott stumbled as Jean pulled him to the dance floor. Scott watched Jean dance around him, her hips swaying to the beat.

"I thought this was supposed to be a ball." Scott grumbled, his eyes never leaving Jean.

Jean winked playfully at him.

"Does it matter what it's called? It's still a good enough excuse to spend time with you."

Scott blushed furiously.

"Come on," Jean said when she saw that Scott wasn't doing anything. "Loosen up. Let the music take you away."

She took his hand and twirled around him like a ballerina. Scott tried to follow Jean's lead, but it was much easier to just watch.

When the song ended, everybody clapped.

"This one is for all the young couples out there on the floor." The DJ said, switching the song to a slow waltz.

Scott looked at Jean smiled shyly, taking her hand in his. Jean smiled back and wrapped her arm around Scott's waist. Together, they moved back and forth on the dance floor. Jean rested her head on Scott's shoulder and sighed contently. Scott placed his head on top of Jean's and took in the moment. Logan winked at him from the other side of the room. His hands were resting lightly on Ororo's hips. Ororo gave Scott a warm smile when she saw him. Her dress was stunning silver that shimmered like a thousand stars in the night sky. She held Logan close then carefully placed her lips on his. Logan pulled back, his face slightly surprised, but then he grinned and kissed her back. Scott looked away and turned to look at Jean. Her eyes were closed but he could hear her thoughts. She was a peace with him. Nothing could be more perfect than this moment right now…with him.

The music had stopped a long time ago, but Scott and Jean were one of the few couples still left on the dance floor. It was as if they were the only two people in the world. The three words were on the tip of his tongue but he didn't say them. Scott pulled back and gave Jean a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm going to go get some air." Scott said, giving her an apologetic smile.

He turned to leave, but not before he felt the twinge of sad disappointment fill his mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	8. Chapter 8

*~*~*~*~*~*

Scott breathed in the cool night air through his nose and out his moth. He walked down the worn-out dirt trail, that lead into the woods. The leaves of the dark canopy above him whistled quietly as the wind passed through them. Scott walked through the forest absently, his mind far. He walked deep into the heart of the forest, tripping and stumbling over unseen branches and roots. Scott stopped for a moment when he heard a soft sob. It came from a small clearing up ahead. Scott peered through the trees. He could make out Rogue's long brown hair. She was bent over and a racking sob shook her whole body.

"Rogue? Are you okay?" Scott asked, leaving his hiding place among the trees to sit down next to Rogue on the rotting log.

Rogue took a shaky breath and wiped her eyes. Her hands were streaked black from rubbing her mascara away. She looked at Scott with red-rimmed eyes.

"I-I'm…I'm a monster.." Rogue whispered, her voice thick with tears.

Her eyes glistened and Scott wiped her tears away with his hand.

"You're not a monster." Scott said softly, stroking her cheek.

Her cheek was cool against his hand. Rogue pressed her face against Scott's hand and closed her eyes as she let out a deep sigh. Scott smiled warmly at Rogue when she opened her eyes. They were dry now, but instead of the sadness that they once held was now replaced with fear. Scott was just about to ask her what was the matter when a wave of pain knocked the breath right out of him. He had never felt such a pain in his whole life. It was if thousands of needles were digging into his skin, deep, deep inside him, and sucking out his very soul till it left him dry. He felt Rogue's hand leave his skin. Scott fell to the forest floor and his body curled it's self into a ball, violently shaking as the pain subsided in tides. He kept his eyes shut tight, but he could still feel the scared, frantic thoughts racing through his mind. Jean's anger raged inside his mind.

"Scott!" Rogue cried. "Oh, Scott, are you all right? I'm so sorry."

She kneeled down at Scott's side. Her hand came down to comfort him but she drew it back when Scott flinched.

"Scott, please…" Rogue begged.

"You're the only one who's treated me like a real person. All Bobby wanted to do is use me…I didn't mean to hurt you. Please, Scott…I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be alone anymore."

Rogue's pleas floated inside Scott's head, but all he could feel was the searing pain Rogue left behind.

"Go away. Leave me alone." Scott said quietly.

"Scott…" Rogue whispered.

Scott could hear the tears roll down her cheeks. He could feel her heat warm his body as she came closer. A blind rage took over Scott and he was up on his feet in no time at all. Rogue fell back in surprise and looked at Scott with the scared eyes of a little girl.

"I…said…leave…me…ALONE!" Scott roared.

His world turned red and he could hear Rogue's scream ringing in his ears. A blinding pain burned behind his eyes, but he couldn't see was causing it. He turned around, swinging his arms wildly as if to knock out the person who was causing him pain. He could feel the dew-soaked leaves fall on his skin. He heard the crack of the solid tree behind him. Scott closed his eyes and the bright red light faded beneath the darkness of his eyelids. A hot pain washed over his body, but Scott never opened his eyes and his world stayed dark.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	9. Chapter 9

*~*~*~*~*~*

3 months later

*~*~*~*~*~*

"…Scott?"

Jean's voice reverberated in the white room. The room was bare and empty, except for Scott's bed, which was in the center of the room. Jean slowly crept towards Scott's bedside, as if she didn't wake up a baby. A chair slid underneath Jean soundlessly and she dropped into it gratefully. Then, sitting up a bit, Jean took Scott's hand. His hand was as cold as the fresh snow on the ground outside. In her mind's eye, Jean could see Scott suddenly wake up from his deep slumber. She could almost feel the warmth of his hands return as they wrapped around hers, like they always used to do. Jean blinked and image was gone. Jean sat still, stunned. Tears sprung to her eyes. It was so real… Shaking her head clear, Jean squeezed Scott's hand and closed her eyes.

Jean opened her eyes and looked around. She couldn't see anything through the thick white mist that was surrounding her.

"Scott?" Jean called out, but nobody answered.

She was expecting this, but still the hot, bitter tears came and rolled down Jean's face. She wiped them away impatiently with the back of her hand.

"Scott! Scott!" Jean yelled.

Her voice was muffled by the mist, which had now turned into a stifling fog, but, she knew, wherever he was, Scott could hear her.

"You better come back, you hear me, Scott!? You better wake up and come back to me! It's been three whole freakin' months! You have to…come back…"

Jean fell to the floor and banged her fist on the gray tiles till her hands were numb from the pain.

"I need you." Jean whispered.

Beneath her, the floor began to swirl and loop around Jean like a giant lollipop that was the color of black thunder clouds before a storm. An unseen wind picked up and began to whistle loudly in Jean's ears. Tears flowed freely from her eyes now, but Jean didn't wipe them away as she stood up shakily. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she felt her self return to her own body and mind. Jean wiped her eyes, then bent down over Scott and stroked his face with her red hands.

He looked so peaceful….as if he were in a deep sleep instead of a coma. Jean pushed back Scott's hair. A long, thin, jagged scar revealed itself. The scar had healed a long time ago, but was still an angry, bloody red as if Scott's forehead was cut just yesterday. Jean traced the scar's zig-zagged path along Scott's forehead. A soft moan escaped Scott's lips.

"Marie…"

Jean jumped up and snatched her hand away from Scott's forehead, as if the scar had suddenly grown hot and burned her. Scott's hair fell back neatly into place, hiding the scar from view once again. A wild anger welled up inside of Jean and she began to pace back and forth in front of Scott's bed. Betrayal and hurt pushed a side the angry feelings. Who was the one visiting night and day since the day Scott was found deep inside the woods, lying on the forest floor, his forehead bright red from the dried blood. Who was the one who brought him to the hospital room that lay deep beneath the classrooms of Xavier's? Who was the one praying to come into the room one day and see Scott awake and smiling instead of coming in everyday to listen to all purrs and hisses of the machines fighting to keep him alive? It wasn't Rouge. No, Ms. Southern Belle disappeared when Scott was found, but Jean knew Rouge was just avoiding her. It was Jean. Jean deserved to hear her name escape from Scott's last breaths. Jean balled up her hands into tight fists.

_**BANG!**_

Jean slammed her fist into a nearby wall. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying out loud. Jean cupped her hand as she leaned on the wall and slid down to the floor, wincing as the blood began to seep out of her knuckles. Jean looked up and a grim smiled pressed against her lips as glanced up at the large hole that was now in the wall. The outline of the hole was red and a sizzling noise hissed from it as it cooled down. Jean could see straight into the dark hallway outside. Jean turned her head and glanced over to Scott's bed. Images flashed in her mind. All she could see was _**her**_**,** kissing him…and him kissing back. All she could feel were the weight and the heat of their bodies pressing against each other….All she could hear was….

_No,_ Jean thought to herself, shaking her head to clear it as she got up.

_I refuse to think that way._

Jean walked over to Scott's bed and leaned down to give him a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"You better come back to me, Loverboy." She whispered in Scott's ear.

*~*~*~*~*~*


	10. Chapter 10

*~*~*~*~*~*

2 weeks later

*~*~*~*~*~*

Charles' wheelchair did not make a sound as he crept into the underground hospital wing. A cool draft filled the room and the only sound that was heard was the quiet his of the machines attached to Scott's respiratory system. Charles gave the little joystick on his wheelchair a tilt forward and wheeled silently to Scott's bedside.

A small pang of sadness filled Charles' heart as he looked down at Scott. All around Scott were various machines hooked to his body; machines that checked his BP and oxygen levels, and also his slow, but beating heart. Scott's chest rose and fell at a steady rhythm with every breath he took, but despite his current condition, Scott looked much better than the bloodied bruised unconscious boy that Jean brought to Charles over three months ago. Though he was still unconscious, there bruises had long ago faded from Scott's face, leaving behind only a thin, pale jagged scar on his left temple as a remembrance mark.

Charles let out a soft sigh, then placing both of his hands on his smooth temples, he closed his eyes. His mind sharpened, and every living creature's mind within a two hundred and fifty mile radius amplified. Charles felt the simple thoughts of the nighttime creatures and the slow, almost non-moving thinking of the large oak tree outside, but he pushed these thoughts out of his head. Making his mental radius smaller, Charles focused on the minds of the children in the school. Hundreds of dreams, thoughts and feelings flashed by and threatened to drown him…all except the feelings and dreams of the boy lying in front of him. With a frustrated sigh, Charles withdrew and returned to the sad and troubled thoughts of his own mind.

_Dammit, Scott! Wake up,_ Charles thought to himself angrily. _I don't know what else to do…I've tried everything I could think of and nothing has worked._

Charles lowered his head in silent defeat. Why wasn't Scott's mind opened to him? It was as if an invisible barrier was surrounding Scott's mind, repelling any telepath's probe.

_It would seem that Jean was right,_ Charles mused, recalling what Jean had told him after her own visit with Scott a few weeks ago.

Charles knew Scott wasn't a psychic, but somehow his mind managed to close itself off to the world. Charles watched Scott's face a moment, hoping to see some sudden glimmer of life flicker across his face, but Scott stayed still.

"Good night, Scott." Charles said softly, and then with one final glace, he turned around and wheeled towards the door. It was almost dawn and the students would want an alert professor to teach them in the morning.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Arrgh!"

Charles jolted awake and sat up in his bed. His large master bedroom was silent, and pale yellow sunlight filtered out from underneath the curtains of his windows. A stab of pain pierced Charles mind again, and another cry escaped from him. He held his head tightly with both hands as if to keep his head intact. Charles' head throbbed painfully. It felt like it was being split in half by a jackhammer.

"Professor! Please, help me!" a voice cried inside Charles' head.

"Scott?" Charles asked aloud, his voice strained. The pain was excruciating, and his vision blurred as bright spots appeared before him.

"Please…Professor...help me." Scott's voice was a trembling whisper now, and Charles heard a soft whimper follow.

The pain subsided slightly; Charles shook his hear to clear it.

"Hold on, Scott. I'm coming."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Scott's room was quiet when the Professor arrived.

_Too quiet,_ Charles thought as he wheeled closer to Scott's bed.

It was empty. Soft footsteps echoed from behind Charles. Charles swiveled around sharply in his chair.

"Scott!" he cried.

Scott was standing behind him, breathing quite heavily. His sea-green eyes were bright and livid under the fluorescent lights. His body trembled in the loose flannel pants he wore, and forgotten stray wires swayed limply on his bare chest.

"Scott..." Charles said again softly.

"Hey, Professor." Scott said weakly, his face contorted into a stained smile. Scott began to take a step forward, but his legs rebelled underneath him, and he fell to the floor.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The floor was cold and smooth against Scott's face, but the coolness did not ease the burning pain rippling inside his head. It hurt so bad…Scott slipped in and out of consciousness, his mind threating to take him back to the cold darkness that plagued him for so long. Scott struggled to stay awake.

"Scott…Scott…"

Scott could hear the Professor's voice, but he didn't open his eyes.

_He sounds so far away,_ Scott thought.

He felt so weak, drained. Suddenly, a soft nudge pushed at Scott, and he soon felt gravity leave him as Charles' telekinesis lifted him off the floor and back onto the bed.

"Thank you." Scott said, grateful for the soft sheets of his bed.

The Professor's face came into view as the Professor wheeled by his side.

_He looks older,_ Scott thought mildly to himself as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

The pain was gone, for now, but Scott's mind was now settled into a deep, sleepy fog, making it hard for him to think straight.

"Scott, are you okay? How are you feeling?" Charles asked. His voice was like a smooth butterknife that cut through the fog in Scott's mind.

"I've…been better." Scott admitted.

Charles gave Scott a warm smile, then he turned around to check the screens behind Scott's bed.

"Well, your vitals look good, and they are becoming more stable as time passes. You'll most likely be able to leave the hospital wing tomorrow morning." Charles said as he turned back around to face Scott.

"Great. Thank you so much, Professor." Scott said as he struggled to sit up in his bed a properly face the Professor. "You saved my life."

The middle of Charles forehead creased for a moment, and his blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the light.

"You're quite welcome, Scott," Charles said, smiling. "But I only did half the work; Jean was by your side night and day. She was the one who brought you to me."

Scott sat up straighter in his bed. His body tingled feverishly at the sound of her name.

_Jean…_

"Professor, how…" Scott swallowed. "How is she?"

Scott's cheeks grew warm when he noticed the small smile that flickered onto the Professor's face.

"She will be most pleased to know that you are awake and well." Charles said, still smiling slightly.

Scott nodded stiffly, then rolled over and got up from the bed. He felt stronger now as he landed steadily on his feet and he easily walked across the room, pulling open the doors of a small closet. Inside were a fresh white, jeans, and his worn-out leather jacket. Scott pulled the tee on and then the leather jacket over it. When Scott turned around the Professor was watching him with an unreadable expression. Scott licked his lips nervously.

"Professor…?" Scott asked tentatively.

"Yes, Scott?" Charles replied calmly, waiting for Scott's question.

Scott looked down at his bare feet.

"What…what happened that night?"

Charles closed his eyes as he brought his hands together on the top of his knees.

"I was wondering when you would ask." Charles said as he opened his eyes.

Charles gestured that Scott should sit back on the bed. Scott sat on the edge of the bed and looked straight into the Professor's blue eyes. An uneasy feeling began to bubble in the pit of his stomach.

"Rogue had the unique ability to absorb another mutant's power when they came in physical contact with her." the Professor began. "Because your power was not present at the time, when Rogue touched you her power caused your powers to manifest spontaneously and become uncontrollable very quickly."

Scott's mouth went dry as vague flashes of memories rushed into his head. A scream. A crash.

"Wait…"had"?" Scott asked. "What do you mean? Where is Rogue now, Professor?"

The uneasy feeling grew inside Scott, and a cold feeling of dread chilled his body to the bone.

Charles' expression faltered for a moment, then, slowly, he closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Scott, but the tree that fell that night fell on top of Rogue and she was badly hurt. We tried everything, but…we couldn't save her."

Scott's blood ran cold and froze in his veins. He felt like he was about to throw up. Hot tears filled his eyes as he clenched the sheets into two balls with his fists.

"I ki-"

Scott's voice caught sharply in his throat. He could not bring himself to say the word. He could not believe Rogue was gone. Because of him. All he could do was close his eyes and cry.

*~*~*~*~*~*

More to come soon!!


	11. Chapter 11

*~*~*~*~*~*

A half an hour passed before Scott could feel his tears start to slow down. After several minutes had passed, Scott's eyes became completely dry as if he had not been crying. A sharp pain suddenly exploded inside Scott's head and Scott doubled over, holding his head tightly with both hands. He lifted his head stiffly, and in a mirror across the room, Scott saw two red glowing eyes looking back at him from his reflection. Scott closed his eyes, but his reflection remained, burned inside his mind.

"Arrgh…Professor…what's happening to me?" Scott asked through clenched teeth.

"It's your powers, Scott." The Professor said nonchalantly. "They're growing."

Scott watched through narrowed eyes as the Professor wheeled over to one of the many steel file cabinets and pulled something out of the top drawers. As the Professor cam back over to him, Scott saw that the object was a pair of sunglasses. The sunglasses had a black frame, just like his old sunglasses, but instead of black the lenses were a deep ruby red.

"Here," Charles said, handing the glasses to Scott. "Put these on. They should help."

It took Scott a moment to grab the right glasses from the two that he saw, but his vision cleared as he placed the glasses on his face.

"Whoa…" Scott said quietly.

The pain was completely gone now, but Scott's world was now dyed a dark red.

"Thank you again, Professor." Scott said softly. "But will I always have to wear these glasses to stop the pain?"

Charles nodded his bald head solemnly.

"I'm afraid so, Scott." Charles said. "Though your head injuries have healed completely, they have left their mark on the portion of your brain that helps to control your powers."

"Can't you fix it?" Scott asked desperately. "I don't want to hurt anymore people" he added softly.

"I'm sorry, Scott." Charles said, his voice sincere and apologetic. "Your brain has become very fragile since the accident and I do not want to risk your well-being any further. But the glasses that you are wearing are made of ruby quartz that will keep your powers under control as long as you wear them, but you must still be careful from now on."

Scott nodded and looked down at his hands. They were trembling. Scott made a fist.

"I understand."

Charles' hand suddenly enclosed itself around Scott's fist. Scott looked up into the Professor's eyes. Though they were no longer blue to Scott, the Professor's eyes still held the same gentle warmth that Scott remembered from the first time he ever met the Professor.

"Scott, you must understand that Marie's death was not your fault." Charles said softly.

Scott scoffed, and pulling his hand away from the Professor's grasp, he stood up.

"Rouge is dead because of me. Because of my "powers"." Scott said angrily.

His voice trembled and he felt like he was going to cry again, but the tears never came to his eyes.

"Scott, your powers are not a burden to carry on your shoulders. They are a gift that has been given to you." Charles said, his face serious. "There was nothing you could have done to help her. You were scared and in pain"

Scott closed his eyes behind his sunglasses. "I know, but…it's not fair. She didn't deserve to die. She didn't do anything wrong…"

A flash of Rogue's timid smile suddenly burned in Scott's head.

"She just wanted friends…to fit in with people like her…just like me." Scott whispered softly.

Charles leaned back in his chair and listened to Scott. Then he said, "Marie had a promising a life that was ended long before her time, but Scott her death was an accident. Do you understand that?"

Scott kept his eyes closed, praying for tears to come to wash away the raging despair inside of him, but when the tears refused to come once again, in a low voice, Scott answered the Professor.

"Yes Professor. I understand."

*~*~*~*~*~*


	12. Chapter 12

*~*~*~*~*~*

Jean let out a puff of warm air and watched silently as the small cloud of water vapor dissipated into the air. The night was cool and quiet as Jean walked across the frost-covered grass and towards the large oak tree. Recently, she had found herself under the tree's whispering leaves whenever she could not sleep.

Jean squinted at the tree as it began to loom into sight. A dark shadow of a person moved silently under the tree. Jean bristled at the thought of somebody besides Scott or herself being under the great oak. Closing her eyes, Jean tried to reach out to the person, but their mind was shielded by an iron barrier. Withdrawing, Jean began to walk at a brisk pace, determined to find out who this person was. The person turned around at the sound of Jean's feet _crunching _on the icy grass.

"Jean…"

Scott's whisper floated across the lawn and rang like a thousand bells in Jean's head. Jean slid to a stop; her breath came out in short gasps and tears welled up in her eyes. She had to be dreaming.

_This had to be a dream; the same dream she had been having every night for months…the same dream she had been having ever since the night she brought Scott to the hospital. The dream where Scott wasn't in a coma…He was awake and well…and always waiting for her on top of a small knoll. He never wore his glasses in the dream and his dark blue-green eyes seemed to be laughing…even though his face was a calm mask. Jean could always feel herself running…running towards him, but with every step she took, Scott seemed to just get farther and farther away…She would call out his name…always asking him to come back…to wait for her, but he would never hear her. He was always too far away…When Jean would finally get to the top of the hill, Scott would be already gone. The skies would suddenly grow dark and lightning would flash…Then Jean would wake up…with her sheets tangled around her shivering body…_

"Jean." Scott said again, breaking into Jean's thoughts and bring her back to the present. His voice was clear and soothing and echoed pleasantly in all the empty spaces of Jean's mind.

A choked laugh bubbled up inside Jean as she felt the warmth of her tears as they began to roll down her cheeks. Jean began to run, slow at first, then faster and faster till she was in Scott's arms.

Scott embraced Jean and held her close to his body. Jean rested her cheek on Scott's leather. A mingle of metal, musk and pine greeted Jean and she smiled. This was too real to be a dream. Jean touched Scott's face; she felt his cool hands, and the worn fabric of his leather jacket. This was real…Scott was really here with her.

Jean leaned in closer to Scott and she pressed her forehead against Scott's and looked deep into the depths of his dark shades. She tried to read his face for any hint of emotion, but all she saw was her own distorted reflection looking back at her. A small smile found its way onto Scott's smooth face, and Jean cocked her head.

_What are you thinking?_ Jean wondered.

Even though he spoke earlier, Scott had not said a word since then. Jean frowned. It worried her that she couldn't feel Scott's mental presence, a comforting feeling she had missed for a very long time…but that was tomorrow's problem. Jean felt Scott's breath tickle her nose pleasantly as he began to come over the small space separating them. Scott's lips were cool and soft as Jean remembered them to be, but they also tasted faintly of the metal rooms hidden deep under the mansion. She could feel Scott's lips curl up into a full smile against her lips as he kissed her back hungrily.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"I missed you so much." Jean murmured as she gently pulled herself apart from Scott.

Jean raised herself up from Scott, whose back was leaning against the oak's trunk. She reached out for his hand, and Scott pulled her hand and Jean suddenly found herself pulled back into Scott's arms as he gave her another fierce hug.

"I know…I missed you too." Scott said, resting his head lightly on top of Jean's smooth one. Her familiar scent of warm apple cinnamon wafted up and tickled Scott's nose. "Even when I was in the coma, I could still feel you all around me. I could hear you inside my head…calling my name."

Scott's voice dwindled to a soft whisper. "I thought I was going to never wake up…" Scott's voice trembled, and his bottom lip quivered as if her were about to cry.

A flash of despair passed through Jean's mind, but before she could trace where the feeling had come from it disappeared.

_Scott..?_

Jean glanced at Scott; his face was serious and had become an impassive mask. Jean reached up to kiss Scott's cheek, then she pulled back from his tight embrace. Her hands found Scott's face and Jean held his face close to her own.

How her Scott could become so different in such little time puzzled Jean's wondering mind as she traced her finger along Scott's jaw, feeling the coarse brown stubble that had formed during the last time she saw him. Jean felt a small tremor pass through his body, but Scott seemed strained behind his glasses.

_If I could read your mind…I would know how you became so different from the boy I met under the oak tree…_Jean thought solemnly to herself.

Slowly, Jean reached up to take off Scott's glasses, so she could see his soft sea-green eyes, but Scott swiftly grabbed her wrist. A surprised gasp escaped from Jean's lips.

"Don't." Scott said his voice deathly low as he dropped jean's hands and took a step back from her.

A dark cloud that had hidden the moon all night drifted away on a quite breeze and pale moonlight suddenly swept across the school grounds. Scott's dark sunglasses suddenly burned a bright ruby red as the moonlight washed over him. Jean's hand flew to her mouth and for a moment all she could do was look at the burning red frames and bask in the glow of the intense power hidden behind them. Then, collecting herself, Jean walked over to where Scott was standing, took his cool, limp hand in her's and squeezed it tightly.

"It's okay Scott." Jean whispered softly to him. "Having your powers is not a bad thing…You're going to be a fine mutant."

Scott's body stiffened and he jerked his hand free.

"No, it's not okay. I'm not going to be a "fine" mutant, Jean." Scott said coldly. "Look at me." Scott pressed his hands to his chest. "I'm a walking laser…a killer." Scott swallowed hard. "With one bump in the hall or a-a trip down the stairs, I could blow the roof off of the school!"

Scott threw his hands in the air in an exasperated manner and he began to pace back and forth on the lawn. His face was flushed and upset. Jean watched as Scott stopped in mid-step and turn to face her. His sunglasses glinted red and for a moment, Jean thought she could see Scott's eyes. She didn't have to read his mind to see the fear and pain the glasses hid.

"Scott…" Jean whispered.

"With one easy motion, Jean," Scott continued. "My glasses could fly right off my face, and I could easily destroy this whole school…or kill you." Scott looked down at his shaking fists. "Just like I killed Rouge."

*~*~*~*~*~*


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I am so sorry for such a long wait for this chapter. My head hasn't really been into this story lately and i think this chapter and the next will be my last for this story, so I just wanted to say thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate them (and its niice to here that people like your stories) :] and thanks for reading my story! Hopefully, I can produce more in the future ;3

~Microstormx94

* * *

Scott fell to the ground and in a moment he felt the ground depress slightly as Jean kneeled beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He felt the slight pressure of her chin resting on his shoulder and her warm breath caressed his jaw. The wet grass soaked through Scott's jeans as Jean rocked him back and forth while murmuring comforting things in his ear, but Scott could not stop shaking.

Scott squeezed his eyes shut behind his glasses. Flashes of red burst behind his eyelids and Rouge's piercing scream rang in his ears. His stomach churned uneasily and he wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come.

After a while Scott's body stopped shaking. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Spots of green and white danced in front of him, the results of closing his eyes so tightly. He felt tired, drained and light-headed. Jean's hair seemed even more vibrant in the hue of red that obscured Scott's sight as her face appeared in front of him.

"Are you okay now?" Jean asked, her voice gentle.

Scott took a shaky breath and let out slowly, nodding his head slightly.

"I think so." He said quietly. Scott was pleased that his voice came out calmer than he felt.

Jean suddenly pulled back from Scott and moved so that she was sitting across from him. Scott looked up, slightly confused. Jean was looking at the ground; her long hair hanging in front of her face and her hands in tight fists on her knees.

"I wanted to be mad at you, Scott." Jean said, her voice muffled slightly by her hair. "I wanted to be mad at both of you."

"Jean I-" Scott interrupted, but stopped when Jean held up her hand to quiet him.

"Hold on, let me finish. I wantedtobe mad at you, but I'm not. I can't." Jean looked up at Scott, her green eyes glistening in the night from unshed tears. "It hurt that you kissed her, but the pain she caused you…that hurt me so much more." A choked sob escaped Jean's lips as the tears ran down her face.

"Oh, Jean…I didn't want to kiss her." Scott said quietly. "She just…took me by surprise, that's all." He finished weakly.

The memories of that night slowly bubbled to the surface of Scott's conscience, taking him back. Jean had looked so beautiful…dancing with her was the single most amazing thing he had ever done in his life. He remembered walking outside for fresh air and finding the crying Rouge. He just wanted to comfort her, to stop her tears, but then she leaned over and kissed him, whispering how she didn't want to lose his friendship. Scott had been too stunned to move. He felt Jean's fiery anger in the back of his mind, but before he could stop was doing, Scott felt a white-hot pain treating to rip him apart.

Scott's memory began to falter. He could remember the night sky changing from the deep purple to a burning red and the thunderous crack that exploded in the night as the tree fell. Rouge's pale face, frozen in shock, burned in Scott's mind. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to erase the image from his mind. His hands shook violently. Coolness enveloped his hands as Jean's wrapped around his, holding them tight in her own.

"Scott." Jean said firmly, breaking into Scott's memories. "It wasn't your fault and everyone knows that. I forgave a long time ago. I love you, Scott and I always will love you." Jean said quietly.

Scott opened his eyes and saw Jean's cheeks turn pink as she gave him a shy smile. A burst of warmth exploded in Scott's chest and he smiled back.

"Thank you, Jean. I…love you too." He said, swallowing loudly as he realized that he really meant it. He loved Jean Grey, so much that it pained him at times. And knowing that she loved him too was the best thing to ever happen to him.

Jean's smile grew as she wrapped her arms around Scott's neck, kissing him hard while pulling him down to the dewy ground.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Night turned into day as time passed and the sky grew lighter and lighter. The sun's head peeked over the horizon slowly, coloring the sky with faded pinks and oranges.

Scott winced at the bright light as the sunlight penetrated through the oak's canopy. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. Jean's sleeping face greeted him. She was lying on his chest, her expression calm and peaceful. Scott snaked his arm around her waist and Jean snuggled closer to his body, her mouth curling into a small smile. For a couple of minutes Scott just watched Jean sleep. Her eyes fluttered every once in a while and she murmured incoherent words softly under her breath.

"Scott…" Jean whispered softly suddenly.

Scott's fingers tingled as he fought the urge to kiss Jean's pink lips and repeat last night's performance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*


	14. Chapter 14

Last night, after they had made out, Jean had caught Scott up on everybody in school. Ororo and Logan now went out and Bobby has been in a funk ever since the night of the dance because Rogue ran away before he could apologize to her. Everybody was worried about him and had visited him at least once, (Logan at least ten), but only Jean went down everyday until it was time for bed.

Until last night nobody knew, except the Professor and Scott, what had happened to Rogue. All types of rumors flew after the dance when Rogue never showed up for class. No one has stepped foot in the forest since then because the more lasting rumor was that Rogue had run away into the forest and lived deep inside, growing more and more savage with each passing day. Scott shook his head sadly and said nothing. Jean gave him a gentle look and then asked him about his coma.

"It was dark and cold all the time." Scott said, shuddering from the memory of the dark isolation. He shook his head to clear it. "But once," he said, looking up at Jean. "I felt you…in my mind. I could hear you calling my name, but I couldn't find you." Scott looked down at the ground.

"But now I can't feel you at all." Scott said, sighing as the corners of his mouth pulled.

*

A pang had shot through Jean's body as Scott's frown deepened. She reached out and grabbed Scott's hand gently and began to rub her fingers against his rough knuckles.

"What did the Professor say?" Jean asked.

Scott told her what Charles had said about his mind putting up a defensive barrier when he fell into the coma.

"Can you take it down?"

Scott shook his head. "Don't you think I tried that already?" he said, letting out a frustrated breath as he suddenly jumped up, pulling his hand away from Jean's grasp. "I don't even know how I put the stupid thing up!"

Jean had watched Scott pace around for a while before finally coaxing him into lying down next to her and getting some sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jean let out a soft sigh, breaking into Scott's thoughts. Her eyes fluttered opened and she blinked sleepily up at Scott.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Scott said softly, smiling down at her.

Jean smiled back. "Hey." She whispered back.

After a quick kiss, Jean sat up and stretched, while Scott got up stiffly and began to walk around, stretching his sleepy legs.

"Hey, Scott?" Jean called out to him.

"Mm…?"

"Why did you come to the School?"

Scott stopped walking and turned to face Jean. A slight breeze picked up and ran its comforting fingers through Scott's hair, cooling the warm, prickly feeling creeping along his scalp, results from Jean's question. The breeze made Jean's hair ripple like a fiery halo around her face and her eyes shone brightly in the rising sun's light, adding a pink glow to her smooth face. She looked like an angel sent from heaven. Scott's mouth went dry at the sight.

She deserves the truth, he thought.

"I came here, to the school, because…because I was tired of living on the streets." Scott said nonchalantly. Maybe if he spoke without emotion he could end the haunting memories of his past life…

"I was tired of bouncing from one foster home to another. I came here because I was tired of feeling different all the time and never fitting in with the people around me."

Jean mad a movement as if she wanted to comfort Scott, but decided against it and remained on the grass, blinking earnestly up at Scott.

"I came to the Professor because I thought he could help me." Scott continued. "I found the brochure on the sidewalk one day and thought to myself, He would know what's wrong with me…why I feel this way.

Scott could remember the day as if it were yesterday and not many months ago. As soon as he had read through the bright and encouraging pamphlet twice, he knew Charles Xavier and his school was the answer to all his problems. Soon, Scott hopped on the next bus to New York.

Scott blinked and the cloud of memories dissipated. Instead, Jean's face swam into view. Her eyes were red-rimmed from last night, but her expression was open and understanding. Scott took a breath and looked straight into Jean's eyes.

"All my life…I've felt so much different from all the other kids growing up in the foster home with me." Scott murmured. "I'm sorry, Jean, but these powers, being a mutant, hurting, no…killing people," Scott's voice caught and he swallowed hard to pushed down the lump forming in his throat. He shook his head. "I didn't sign up for all of this. I never wanted this."

Jean was quiet for a moment then she said, "Scott, don't you think that every mutant here wasn't scared or-or confused when their powers first emerged? I was terrified when I first got mine. I couldn't hear myself think for months!" Jean let out a shaky laugh, trying to shake off the ghost pains of the past. "The Professor is a good man. He will help you through this."

Jean stood up and stood next to Scott. Her warm scent tickled Scott's nose as she wrapped her arms around his body and leaned into him, hugging him tightly. Scott's mind buzzed feverishly. He could feel the barriers around his mind tremble before slowly falling away into nothingness. Jean's mental presence rushed into his head, warm and loving like an old friend.

"And I'll help you…" Jean whispered, her promise echoing softly inside Scott's head.


End file.
